Kenya deports South Sudan rebel official over Facebook post
NAIROBI- A South Sudanese rebel spokesman has been deported to South Sudan over a Facebook posting, a Kenyan official said Friday, while colleagues feared for his life and human rights workers and a relative said he was a registered refugee with a U.S. green card.
Human rights groups immediately condemned Kenya's deportation of James Gatdet Dak, calling it a breach of international law.
"He became an inadmissible person, so we cancelled his visa and he was taken to his country of origin," Kenyan government spokesman Eric Kiraithe told The Associated Press. A police official said Gatdet was deported Thursday evening. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give the information.
Rebel leader Riek Machar pleaded with Kenya's deputy president not to deport Gatdet "due to profound fear for his life," Machar said in a statement. He said he told Kenyan officials that Gatdet was a refugee, and said the U.N. refugee agency "made serious efforts" to reverse Kenya's decision. He did not give details.
